I've been driving!

If you have teenagers/young adults you will understand that I am celebrating driving My Own Car this week.  This is the car that I pay for, that I picked out for me, that I enjoy driving.  In the last 2 weeks I have driven to and from Edmonton, Canmore and to work.  The work part is kind of lame because it is a 20 min walk down hill to work - but whatever.  I have been driving My Car! My car is a Jetta, shiny and black.  I named her Betty and while she is a good car, she isn't the Jetta we *heart*.  Once we had Jonny.  Some folks met Jonny, some didn't but this is the story of Jonny.

A coworker was selling his car.  We talked.  $1900 and a $25 coffee card later, I was the owner of a 1998 VW Jetta K2.  Blue, rusted, super styling roof rack, temperamental passenger door, 3 of 4 electric windows opened, hatchback, 5 speed manual transmission, battered windshield and the rain would sometimes come in.  It ran like a dream.  I drove that car for 2 months before I learned it was named Jonny.  I never asked why.  It just fit.  Jonny the Jetta.

The Boy was 17 and needed to get his driver’s license.  We had the “good” car and then Jonny.  Both were manual transmissions.  The Husband announced that the “good” car was off limits for learning, so Jonny became the teaching car.  The Husband’s tutelage of the art of driving a standard lasted 3 minutes at which time he announced, “We need to buy an automatic”.   I laughed and shook my head no.  I always knew I would be the one to teach them to drive a standard.  It is a life skill and the kids will have it. 

So it began.  Oh poor Jonny and his over-heated clutch.  The lurching and lunging and cursing he endured!  I thought I was going to die many times.  It all came to a head one day in a parking lot.  The Boy was feeling mighty spunky and wanted to drive home.  I looked at the steel toed work boots and paint covered clothes and thought that maybe this was a bad idea.  But I gave him the keys.  That session of driving lasted 90 seconds during which time there were 4 stalls and one tantrum where The Boy stated “Dad was right, we need an automatic”.   I kicked The Boy out of the driver’s seat, drove home, made him change into runners and get back into the car.  I drove to the country and parked Jonny on a hill.  The Boy got in the driver’s seat and I said, “Go”.  It wasn’t pretty and I’m sure it cost me a whole tank of gas and half a clutch.  But the light bulb went on.  The Boy felt the car, listened to the engine and drove.   He received his license and voila – Jonny became his car for the grade 12 year.   I bought Betty the Jetta.   We worked out a system for Jonny's gas for “fun” vs.  gas for the apprenticeship job.  Jonny needed new tires that fall and some strut work.  After a cool $1500 all was good.   The battery went the following spring and there was leak of some kind. The Girl learned to ‘drive stick’ and in the summer, The Boy got a new old truck (manual transmission!)  and The Girl took over Jonny.  Jonny was again a fixture at the high school.  At long last his front window was replaced.  And then it happened.  The Snap.  I wasn’t there but The Girl describes it as the saddest sound she has ever heard.  After a left turn onto a quiet street there was a snap and then Jonny was still.  The transmission had gone.  The expense to repair could no longer be justified.  Jonny was retired.  I was sad, my family was sad.  The 5 or so other kids who my kids, (unbeknownst to me) taught to drive stick on Jonny were sad.   

Since the demise of Jonny I have been on car share program with The Girl.  How this works is I ask her if she needs the car and then I can figure out my day.  And this is ok - minus the bottle of fake nail glue which is now permanently affixed to the accessory box inside My Car. But I miss Jonny.  Not only for the freedom he gave ME but the awesome unit he was.  My new Jetta rattles and whistles.  The seat warmers are not nearly as warm.  Betty is far more plastic than Jonny ever was.  The Girl miss Jonny too - he was much easier to hide the bumps and scrapes on.  The Girl is working  towards getting her own car - I will return the favour of the nail glue. 

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Jonny on his retirement day

Betty